


The Big Picture

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Crazy Love [15]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-22
Updated: 2011-11-22
Packaged: 2017-10-26 10:08:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/281804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She took a deep breath and hugged him.  It was comforting when Hotch held on just as tight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Big Picture

**Author's Note:**

> This story is written in the Thicker than Water universe where the BAU are kids and teens. I dont usually do this type of thing but since I write in the universe so much I kinda visualize Tom Welling as young Hotch and Maggie Grace as young Megan. vc_forever helps with my obsessiveness.

“I brought you a present.” Megan practically sang it as she came back in the room from the bathroom. It made Hotch look up from his comic book.

“Huh?”

“I brought you a present.” She sang again.

“Why did you do that?” Hotch asked.

“What? I'm not allowed to buy you a present? According to all the teenage girl magazines I loathe, not only am I allowed but its encouraged. We all know a boy won't stay unless he has something to stay for.”

Hotch closed his eyes as he thought of something alright. It damn sure wasn’t why he was staying but it was nice just the same. The best part is it was free though surely some men were paying a hell of a lot of money for it. Then he frowned some.

Had some man ever paid her a lot of money for it? That was definitely something Hotch needed off his mind immediately. But like most poisons it was going to have to course through his entire system, make him sick, and maybe then it would go away. Maybe. This train of thought was entirely his own fault.

“You don’t have to buy me anything and I'm staying.” Hotch replied.

“I didn’t say I bought you anything.” Megan said.

“I think you might be trying to confuse me on purpose.”

“I said I brought you a gift not I bought you a gift. Listen closer, Aaron.”

“How about just giving it to me and we’ll call it even?”

Hotch smiled and his dimples poked holes in his cheeks. What was it about this girl…she made him crazy. She was smart, sassy, and quite sexy. But there was also a quiet beauty, grace, and vulnerability about her that almost broke Hotch in half. She never played it up; in fact Megan was often trying to hide it. He saw it though, and because of that he was special.

“Come and get it, smartass.”

Hotch didn’t know if she was still talking about the gift but he was climbing off the bed anyway.

“Hotch?” Jason knocked on the door but remained outside. It was ajar but he had no idea what his best friend was up to in there with his girlfriend. He would wait to be invited in just to save them all the possible embarrassment.

“C'mon in Jason.”

As he was walking through the door, Megan was jumping onto the bed. She wasn’t wearing a whole lot, little pajama shorts and a tank top, so there was a lot bouncing going on. Jason averted his gaze as he cleared his throat.

“I just came in to say goodnight. Emily and I are going to watch a movie in my room and just hang out. The kids are all in bed; Morgan went to a party. He’s supposed to be home by 11. There are brownies downstairs if you guys want a snack.”

“OK. Is the alarm set or should I do it?” Hotch asked.

“No, Morgan knows to do it when he comes in. But the downstairs is free if you wanted to watch TV or something.”

“Thanks.”

“I really loved the burgers tonight Jason.” Megan said. “It was cool of you to cook out even though it was pouring.”

“Well majority rules and the kids wanted the grill. Luckily we have an awning over the deck so I didn’t get too wet.”

He managed a smile and Megan returned the favor. She was never sure if Jason liked her or not. She wasn’t sure of anything where he was concerned. She knew Hotch worshipped the ground Jason walked on and had pretty much from the moment they met. He listened to Jason, sought his advice, worked for his approval and probably his love.

But Jason didn’t seem like the kind of guy who made someone jump through hoops for love. Just through observation she could see how much the two boys meant to each other. Megan wondered what Jason said when Hotch talked about her. Did he think she was dangerous? Maybe he thought she was slutty. Crazy? His face was always so damn neutral.

When he was happy, upset, concerned, or average, Jason Gideon always wore the same look. Maybe that was what she saw because she didn’t know him. He wasn’t your average bear…Megan usually dressed a man down in seven seconds. Hotch took some months and Jason might take forever. Normally she wouldn’t give a damn since she had no intention of conquering him but she wanted him to at least like her. Hotch loved and respected Jason; Megan thought it was important that he see her in a positive light.

“We might go down and watch a movie or something.” Hotch said. “There's nothing doing up here right now.”

“OK,” Jason nodded. “Whatever you guys want is great. Goodnight, Hotch. Goodnight, Megan.”

“Goodnight.” They said in unison.

Jason gave another small smile and then he was gone. Hotch turned to look at Megan. She had a concerned look on her face, which concerned him.

“What's wrong?” He asked.

“Nothing.” She lied, shaking her head. Now wasn’t the time. There might never be a good time to bring up her insecurities but it definitely wasn’t now. Jason was probably going to get laid tonight…Megan damn sure didn't want to ruin her chances.

“You mentioned something earlier about a gift.” Hotch crossed his arms.

“Yes, I did as a matter of fact.” Her smile was back as she bent over and picked up her backpack off the floor. Pulling out a gift wrapped package, she held it out for Hotch.

He took it, tearing off the paper and looking at the plain, black picture frame. Inside was a picture of him and Megan that they took the last time they were in a picture mood. Hotch sat on the couch, Megan straddled him with her arms around his neck. He smiled enough for his dimples to show while Megan preferred the sexy pout. Frozen in time that pout was definitely sexy.

“I just thought you might like something for your room.” she said.

Her tone caused Hotch to look away from the picture and at her. It was almost sheepish and quite un-Megan like. Hotch already had some photo booth pictures they took at Pizza Pete’s on the big corkboard across from his bed. Inside his school locker there was a picture of them as well. Megan always looked gorgeous and Hotch looked goofy. It seemed that no matter what face he thought he was making when the flash went off, Hotch looked goofy.

“I love it.” he grinned. “I look goofy but you look...wow. What’s a girl like you see in a goofball with me?”

“You're amazing, Aaron Hotchner. C'mere and let me show you.”

Still grinning, Hotch walked over to the bed. He put the picture of them on his nightstand and then wrapped his arms around her. Hotch’s lips were soft for his first tentative kiss. Megan tried to deepen it but he pulled away.

She pouted and he kissed her pout. Then he kissed her nose. Megan stroked the nape of his neck. The next kiss was more passionate and left both teenagers breathless.

“Can I ask you something, Aaron?”

“Of course.”

“Does Jason dislike me? God, I hate to even ask something like that but I do spend a lot of time in his house. It seems as if he wishes that weren't so.”

“No, no, it’s nothing like that.” Hotch replied.

“It isn’t?”

Hotch shook his head. He gave Megan another kiss for reassurance, smiling when she caressed his face. It would be hard to explain Jason to someone, even someone so in tune to human behavior as Megan was. Hotch took a deep breath and knew he had to try.

“Jason isn’t an easy person to explain. I wish I had a better answer but I don’t. He doesn’t dislike you though, even though he does worry about you. You know that I would never, ever betray your confidence but I have confided in Jason some of the things you’ve been through.

“I think he just worries about you being overwhelmed. He worries that I’ll do anything to make you happy even at the expense of myself. But, just as I refuse to be a fly on the wall in his relationship with Emily, he doesn’t know everything happening with us. Please don’t think he doesn’t like you because that’s 100% not true.”

“OK.” Megan nodded.

She didn’t entirely believe him but knew that was probably all she would get. Hotch loved her but he and Jason shared something even deeper. Megan couldn’t touch it; she barely understood it. For the time being it was probably better to leave it alone. Jason wasn’t going anywhere and neither was she…the issue would come up again.

“Do you want to watch a movie or something?” Hotch asked, kissing her nose again. “There are plenty of hours until bedtime.”

“Sure.” Megan replied.

“Tell me you're OK.”

“I'm OK.” She repeated.

“Asterisk, tell me you're OK and mean it.”

“I just know how much you love Jason.”

“I do, very much. You think that'll affect how I feel about you?”

“Your love for him is concrete.” Megan said. “You and I…”

“Stop.” Hotch put his finger on her lips. “Jason is my best friend; he's my brother. Still, there are places we don’t go unless asked directly. Relationships with our girlfriends are one of those places. That’s probably for the better. You and I are just that Megan, you and I.”

She closed her eyes and nodded. Feeling herself going to that increasingly worried and neurotic place, Megan held onto him. She took a deep breath and hugged him. It was comforting when Hotch held on just as tight.

“You have to know when to hold ‘em.” She whispered. “Know when to fold ‘em. Know when to walk away and know when to run.”

“Seriously?” Hotch raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t help the quizzical look on his face.

“Ashley was singing it earlier. I hadn't thought of that song in a million years but its appropriate here.”

He kissed her and they lay on the bed together.

“I really like the picture.” He said. “It’s perfect for my nightstand.”

“I'm glad. I feel a little selfish keeping the other 26 but…”

“Well they're yours. I'm going to get my own film and take some more. You should be used to posing by now.”

“Oh haha.” Megan laughed as she poked him. “You're my favorite photographer, Aaron Hotchner.”

He liked hearing that. He also really loved taking pictures of her. The camera loved Megan, probably as much as Hotch did.

“We can watch _Kiss the Girls_.”

“You told me that I wasn’t allowed to watch those movies so close to bedtime. They make me paranoid.”

“I said you shouldn’t watch them alone.” Hotch replied. “What am I…chopped liver?”

“Mmm, not right now.”

Megan laughed as he tickled her. Then they were kissing. She sighed contently, squeezing him.

“ _Kiss the Girls_ and brownies sound good.” She said. “I should probably dress in something a little more full house appropriate.”

“I like your pajamas.”

“You better like them Mister. But still,” she sat up. “I’ll put on some sweats.”

“Not quite yet.”

Hotch pulled Megan to him, partially on top of him, and kissed her. Megan moaned into his mouth. God, he turned her on and if this kept up then a movie would go right out the window. Well, they could probably make out in the den too.

Everyone was asleep or occupied. That might be fun. Of course it would be just as fun to cuddle up and watch Morgan Freeman find and slay a serial killer too. If she was in Hotch’s arms, Megan was going to be happy.

***


End file.
